Investigative teaching and Environmental Education: microplastics as a generating theme

Abstract

With the aim of encouraging students to formulate hypotheses, as well as seek solutions for problem-solving, the Investigative Teaching Sequences (ITS) have demonstrated didactic potential when applied to elementary school students, particularly in science classes. The ITS promote greater interaction and involvement of students in classes, leading them to be protagonists of the teaching-learning process, and allow the development of skills related to scientific knowledge. This methodology was applied in three stages to a 6^th-grade class, with the theme “plastics and microplastics in aquatic ecosystems”. The students showed motivation and took on the role of protagonists in their own learning processes. They also enhanced their critical thinking and were able to hypothesize about everyday problems, such as the generation and improper disposal of waste, thus contributing to the formation of environmentally conscious citizens. In this way, the students explored the interface of environmental education, highlighting its importance in science teaching for the final years of elementary school, in a way that was enjoyable for both teaching and learning. These data show that ITS promote dynamic, engaging, and practice-connected learning, contributing to the development of students who are better prepared to think critically and act autonomously when faced with complex problems.